People flock to Manly Beach after it was forced to close on the weekend. Picture: Matrix Media

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People flock to Manly Beach as it reopens

6th Apr 2020 10:00 PM

People have flocked to Sydney's northern beaches again this morning despite a number of beaches closing over the weekend due to people ignoring social distancing rules.

Pictures taken at Manly Beach today shortly after sunrise show joggers and walkers filling the sidewalk.

Groups of people were also pictured exercising on the sand, while others waded into the water to either swim or surf.

People have flocked back to Manly Beach after it reopened following its closure on the weekend. Picture: Matrix Media

Groups were seen exercising on the beach this morning. Picture: Matrix Media

The beach has already attracted dozens of people shortly after sunrise. Picture: Matrix Media

Though some people appeared to be following the 1.5m distance rule, others seemed to completely ignore it.

On Sunday the Northern Beaches Council announced Manly, North Steyne, Queenscliff, Freshwater and Palm beach had all been closed as a result of residents failing to follow social distancing rules imposed by the Federal Government.

Though some people appeared to follow social distancing rules this morning, others seemed to disregard them. Picture: Matrix Media

Hundreds of people descended on the beaches, with photos showing many defying the rules enforced to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

People were pictured packing the sidewalks, with many not adhering to the 1.5m social distancing rule, with groups of people also seen heading into the water together.

In Cronulla, rangers were forced to move people along this morning after they disregarded the rules to lie on the beach and sit down drink coffee.

Pictures taken on Sunday showed hundreds of people flocking to Manly Beach before its closure. Picture: Matrix Media

Meanwhile in Sydney's eastern suburbs, police were spotted yelling from the rocks at swimmers in the water near Clovelly.

A news.com.au reporter overheard one shouting back: "Why do we have to get out?!"

A man was arrested in Bondi yesterday after allegedly ignoring the council's "beach closed" signs.

Police cautioned the 21-year-old man for ignoring the notice.

He was arrested after he allegedly refused to follow move-on directions, during which he allegedly coughed at an officer, claiming to have COVID-19.

He was charged with failing to comply with the council notice, refusing to comply with a police officer, resisting a police officer and intimidating a police officer.

It has since been confirmed the man does not have coronavirus.

He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today.

A lone person ignores closed-beach signs to go for a walk along Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Last week NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said people still seemed to be struggling to understand what constituted exercise.

"In terms of the new isolation powers, certainly lots of questions about exercise. I don't get it," he said at a press conference, adding the government wanted people to stay physically and psychologically fit and healthy.

"But of course if I said that it's OK to sit on a park bench, then everyone is going to go to the park. We're going to end up where we started. On a hot day at Bondi Beach a couple of weekends ago, one person said they were going to go for a swim and we ended up with 10,000 people."

Around Australia, gatherings of more than two people are banned in public places, unless they are members of the same household or it's an essential work or study-related gathering.

Individuals can be issued with on-the-spot fines of $1000 for flouting social distancing rules, with that bumped up to $5000 for businesses.

In NSW leaving your house without a reasonable excuse could result in a fine of up to $11,000 or six months in jail.